Four consecutive road games have the Fort Lewis College basketball teams ready to play at home for the first time since Jan. 6.
With an extra day off to prepare for a one-game week against Colorado Christian University, the Skyhawks are rested and eager to get back to action Saturday at Whalen Gymnasium, where the two teams are a combined 21-0 this season. The FLC women will tip off action at 1 p.m. Saturday, followed by the men at 3 p.m.
“We just took the two farthest road trips we can take in this conference, and we did them in a row,” FLC women’s head coach Jason Flores said.
“That was tough. It doesn’t guarantee anything, but it is nice to be at home, in our own beds and practicing and playing in our own gym. It does make a difference, and playing with the home crowd all makes a difference.”
Not only will FLC play at home Saturday, it will play in front of the college’s student body for the first time since Dec. 12, as the Skyhawks played five home games during the school’s winter break before going on the four-game road trip.
“With the early start on a Saturday, I think it might help the crowd,” FLC men’s coach and reigning HoopDirt.com Division II national coach of the week Bob Pietrack said.
“The older crowd sometimes can’t come if the games are late and they have kids or other things going on. And we’re hoping to have the students there. We haven’t had a home game with students in forever, and the students bring an element of energy to our games and an added component that we had during that home stretch before the break.”
Here’s what to watch when the Cougars meet the Skyhawks:
Colorado Christian will enter on an eight-game losing streak, but the team has played tougher than its 3-16 overall record and 2-11 mark in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference show. The Cougars played tough Tuesday at Colorado Mines and fell by only two points to Adams State during this losing streak. They also lost to Regis by only four points earlier in the year.
If No. 21 FLC (16-3, 12-2 RMAC) wants to hold onto first place in the conference, it will have to slow down a team that can make 3-pointers in bunches.
Jeremiah Hanson leads CCU with 15.3 points per game to go with a team-high 4.4 rebounds per contest. Stefan Hackethal has averaged 15.2 points per game, and Isaiah Hanson has added another 14.6. No other CCU players average double-digit scoring, and the Cougars have been outrebounded badly this year. Still, CCU ranks third in the conference with 168 made 3-pointers while shooting 37.7 percent from long range.
“Colorado Christian is dangerous because of its ability to shoot,” Pietrack said. “They do have quality post players, but statistically they’ve been outrebounded and good post guys have given them trouble, but we’ve had great games with Christian over the years. There three leading scorers, they can really shoot it and will be a challenge for us.”
While FLC doesn’t have a player in the top 10 in RMAC scoring, it does have five players averaging double figures and is close to adding a sixth, as senior center Brandon Wilson has averaged 9.7 points to go with a team-high 7.6 rebounds per game.
FLC senior forward Rasmus Bach has found an edge in recent games and has led the team with 15.3 points per game. Junior forward Marquel Beasley is up to 13.9 points per contest, and senior guard Daniel Hernandez has scored 13.1. DJ Miles has contributed 12 points per game this year, and Riley Farris has poured in 10.2 points per game off the bench.
“For us, we’re focused on being the best team we can be,” Pietrack said.
“It is cliché, but at this point in the season we’ve seen almost everything other teams can throw at us. We have to focus on ourself and what it takes to peak toward the end of the season.”
After breaking a tough three-game losing streak with a win last Saturday at Chadron State, the Fort Lewis College women (16-4, 10-4 RMAC) are eager to get on a new winning streak and climb back into the top 25.
“I don’t know if the road losses were a wake-up call,” Flores said. “Even with Chadron, the four teams we played played us as hard as they could possibly play to beat us. On the road, it’s just harder to win games no matter if you’re in Division I or Division II or high school, it doesn’t matter. People get beat on the road.
“Right now, we’re still looking to be better at the end of the year than we were at the beginning. We have eight games left to be able to scrap and claw to get where we want.”
FLC was without senior starter Briana Clah during the long road trip, and she will be out again Saturday as she rehabs her ankle injury.
Led by freshman sensation Vivian Gray, who is coming off career highs of 33 points and 15 rebounds in the win at Chadron, the Skyhawks will try to slow down a CCU team that has post players who love to shoot from outside.
Since Alex Nelson went down with an injury Dec. 4, Jordan Baer has led the Cougars (6-12, 4-9 RMAC) with 11.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 blocks per game.
“Their post players like to step out and shoot 3s,” Flores said. “There are some dynamics of having to guard them that are different than some teams we’ve faced recently. We have to be solid defensively. We know they are different.”
Gray has averaged 18.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, three assists and nearly two blocked shots per game. Astrea Reed is the only other FLC woman to average double-digit scoring, as the senior guard has been good for 13.7 points per game.
Offense was a problem for the Skyhawks on the road, but they hope the friendly home rims at Whalen Gymnasium help the team break that funk.
With Alyssa Yocky continuing to work her way into the lineup after returning mid-season from offseason ankle surgery, the Skyhawks are still working to get all their pieces in sync, and Saturday provides another good chance to do so.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
If you go
Who:
Colorado Christian at Fort Lewis
What:
RMAC college basketball
When:
1/3 p.m. Saturday
Where:
Whalen Gymnasium, Durango
Twitter:
@jlivi2
